Some of these apps are connected to a Beijing-based company, Qihoo 360, which isn’t just any company—it’s a cybersecurity firm that the U.S. has called a “Chinese military company” and socked with sanctions since 2020. Fun times! Now let’s talk about privacy; or lack thereof. These VPNs are collecting things like your browsing history, IP addresses, and connection logs.

If they’re not sticking to strict no-logging policies, you might as well print your online activities on a banner. Oh, and they might be legally required to hand over your data to the Chinese government if asked. Comforting, right? It doesn’t stop there. A nonprofit group in the U.S. recently pointed fingers at over 2 dozen VPN apps with undisclosed Chinese connections, and similar accusations pop up regularly. They have ties that are so hot they could melt your phone.

And despite being under U.S. sanctions, companies linked to these apps are still dancing around the fine print to keep their no-logging promises; but slipping up could cost them big bucks. Let’s get real about app store profits. You can download these VPNs for free, but in-app purchases line the pockets of both Apple and Google, all while everyone keeps mum about where the real ownership lies.

It’s like Vegas, but behind every curtain, there’s a server pointed to China. And hey, good luck figuring out who really owns these things. They’ve got layers of shell companies thick enough to challenge any thriller plot.

This makes it hilariously difficult to track who’s pulling the strings, leaving everyone playing a guessing game. Apple and Google have promised to take a look at these questionable apps, yet nothing but radio silence so far. If you want to dodge government surveillance, seeing these apps in the store might make your paranoia radar ping.

In short, tech companies need a wake-up call to play by the rules of privacy and national security, and whoever’s investigating needs to keep digging. Transparency in app ownership isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a must. So the next time you fire up that “free” VPN, maybe double-check who’s running the show.